G115 



SUBALPINE NEEDLEGRASS 



Sti'pa columbia'na, syn. S. mi'nor 



Flower head (panicle) narrow, spike- 

 like, often purplish, up. to 8 in. long, 

 not enclosed in leaf sheath when mature 



MM 



IKj Individual flower groups (spikelets) 

 JKy 1-flowered, short-stalked 





Stalks (culms) tufted, erect, up to 32 in. 

 (or as much as 40 in. in var. nelsoni) high, 

 with few, often purplish joints (nodes) 



Leaves flat or sometimes inrolled when . 



dry, hairless; sheaths hairless; collar 

 / (ligule) at junction of blade and sheath 

 / very short 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts (glumes) 

 about ?g in. long, narrow, tapering to a 

 fine point, persistent after "seed" falls 



Outer flower bract Gemma) firm, about 

 % in. long, evenly covered with short, soft 

 hairs throughout, tipped with a securely 

 attadhed beard (awn); awn twice-bent, 

 twisted below, % to IK (usually % to 1) 

 in. long, not at all feathery 



"Seed" (caryopsis) hard, cylindrical, 

 with sharp-pointed, bearded base (cal- 

 lus), closely enfolded by tb<j lemma 



Roots fibrous 



